Tuesday 21st March 2000 - Adams Park Match report by John Heeley
Manager John Benson named an unchanged side from the weekend's home win over Bury and it was to prove just that little bit too much for the Buckinghamshire side. Second half goals from the big Dutchman Arjan de Zeeuw (59) and Simon Haworth (90) proved enough to separate the two sides who were meeting for the fourth time this season. Three points were all that mattered tonight with the curtain slowly coming down on the season and Latics' hopes of automatic promotion still hanging in the balance. Wigan had their chances in the first half to open the scoring and on 11 minutes Scott Green, playing his last game before a three match suspension, broke clear on the right only to be denied by Wycombe keeper Martin Taylor. Wycombe's only effort of note in the first 45 minutes came from their sole corner of half when Steve Brown's centre was headed over by Lee Holsgrove at the far post. New signing Neil Redfearn, playing only his second game in a Latics shirt, twice went close to breaking the deadlock. Firstly, a cheeky overhead kick on the half hour mark was cruelly deflected wide of the mark and on the stroke of half time Wycombe's shot stopper was there again to deny the former Bradford City midfielder from close range. Half Time: Wycombe 0 Wigan Athletic 0 It took 15 minutes of the second half before Latics put themselves in front. A Darren Sheridan free kick thirty yards out bobbled into the heart of the penalty area and a defensive mistake by the Chairboys defence allowed that man de Zeeuw to put a snap shot past Taylor from 10 yards. This forced Wycombe manager Lawrie Sanchez to make a tactical change, switching from his original 5 back line, substituting Holsgrove and replacing him with Baird leaving a flat back four in a bid to push forward and grab that equaliser. Wycombe had a couple of opportunties to level before Simon Haworth stepped up in injury time to tap in the decisive second goal following a Terry Cooke cross from the right. Haworth seemed to have made it three after heading past Taylor seconds later only for his effort to be ruled offide. Victory was made even sweeter for the couple of hundred or so travelling fans when news came through confirming Preston's defeat at Meadow Lane. Wigan need more results like this if they are to sustain a serious challenge for one of the two automatic promotion spots. Full Time: Wycombe 0 Wigan 2
1.Taylor 7.D. Carroll 17.Rogers 4. Cousins 30. Brown 22. Bulman 8. Ryan 16. Holsgrove 15. McSporran, 28. Simpson 29. Senda Subs. 26. Osborn GK 9. Baird for 16. 62 min 14. Harkin 20. Thompson, 33. Brady for 29. 86min	1.Carroll 5.Balmer 6. de Zeeuw 15. Griffiths 14. Green 22. Sheridan 32. Redfearn 31. Cooke 29. Peron 7. Liddell 9. Haworth Subs. 13. Stillie GK 3. Sharp 4. McGibbon 11. Barlow, 26. Morris
Goalscorers: Wigan: de Zeeuw 59, Haworth 90 Referee: M. Halsey (Welwyn Garden City) Attendance: 3,821